Beyond AI Hype: A Hands-on Workshop Series for Enhancing AI Literacy in Middle and High School Students

The increasing usage of AI in high-stakes decision-making underscores a pressing need for various stakeholders to understand AI, learn how to identify AI-generated content, and become aware of its societal risks. We detail outcomes from engaging underrepresented secondary school students in a 5-day workshop series consisting of brief lectures, hands-on activities, and short research assignments. We find that the workshop improved students' knowledge about AI and the ethical implications of using these technologies. Our work highlights policy implications and outlines actionable efforts needed to advance AI literacy, with the workshop content being developed into an open-source AI literacy curriculum.